Switch for overhead railways.



No. 822,121. PATBNTED MAY 29, 1906. B. W. HARRIS.

SWITCH POR OVERHEAD RAILWAYS.

APPLIGATION FILED 00T.23, 1905.

by "A" f' Attorneys BARNETT WV. HARRIS'. OF MAT'IOON, ILLINOIS.

SWITCH FOR OVERHEAD RAILWAYS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 29, 1906.

J Application led October 23, 1905. Serial No. 284,057.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, BARNETT W. HARRIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mattoon, in the county of Coles and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Switch for @verhead Railways, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to switches for elevated railways, and has for its object to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient device of this character by means of which trains traveling in opposite directions on an overhead track or cable may pass each other without danger of collision.

A further object of the invention is to provide one or more auxiliary tracks or sidings arranged at spaced intervals along the main line, and preferably elevated above the latter, so that when two cars are traveling in opposite directions one of said cars may be switched onto the siding to thereby permit the other to pass. f

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in form, proportions, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention. i

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of an elevated railway provided with my improved switch. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the switch-points detached.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawings.

The main track comprises a pair of parallel overhead cables 5, upon which is mounted for travel the suspended car 6, said cables being supported on suitable brackets or hangers 7, bolted or otherwise rigidly secured to the uprights or standards 8. Arranged at spaced intervals along the main cables, and preferably elevated above the latter, are auxiliary cables 9, which form sidings upon brackets 7, and the opposite end of said cables are inclined toward the main cables and seated in the peripheral grooves of circular plates or disks 10, to which they are rigidly secured in any suitable manner, as by staples or similar fastening devices 10.

The plates or disks 10 are secured to the standards 8 by bolts 1 1, and pivotally mounted on said bolts and spanning the .disks 10 are switch-points 12 and 13, each having its free end forked or bifurcated, as indicated at 14, to accommodate the adjacent track or cable 5.

The free end of the switch-point 12 is normally supported in elevated position by a coil-spring 15, one end of which is attached to a laterally-extending lug 16 and the opposite end thereof to the adjacent standard, while the free or bifurcated end of the switchpoint 13 normally spans the main cable 5, being retained in engagement therewith by its own Weight. It will thus be seen that if two cars are traveling in opposite directions on the parallel cables 5 the car going in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings will clear the switch 1-2 and automatically elevate the switch 13, which latter will return by gravity to its normal position as soon as said car passes, while the car traveling in the opposite direction will ride over the switch 13 onto the siding and thence over the switch 12 onto the main line, the switch 12 being depressed by the weight of the car and automatically returned to elevated position by the action of the coil-spring as soon as the car clears said switch.

If desired, the auxiliary cables or sidings may be arranged below the main cables or to one side of the same and the switch-points at each end of the siding may be connected in any suitable manner, so as to cause each pair of switches to move in unison.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that there is provided an exceedingly simple and efficient switch which is automatic in action and by means of which cars IDO - siding, and switches for controlling the eni and the other closed.

traveling in opposite directions on a single l track may pass each other without danger of collision. l

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is- 4 l. In elevated railways, a main track, a siding spaced vertically from the main track, and a switch at each end 0f the siding one of which is normally open and the other closed.

'2. In elevated railways, a main track, a Siding, and a switch at eachV end of the siding onevof which is yieldably sup orted in open position and the other movab e to closed position by gravity.

3. In lelevated railways, a main track, a siding, a switch at each end of the siding and adapted to engage the main track, and a spring for normally supporting one of the switches in o en position, the opposite switch being normaily maintained in closed position by its own weight.

4. In elevated railways, a main track, a siding spaced vertically from'the main track, and a switch disposed above themain track at each end of the siding, one of said switches being normally open and the other closed.

5. In elevated railways, a main track, la

trance to the siding from opposite ends of the main track said switches being provided with terminal forks adapted to span the main track when in closed osition.

6. In elevated rai ways, al main track, a siding-dis osed above the main track, and switches or controlling the entrance to the siding from opposite ends of the main track, one of said switches being normally open 7. In elevated railways, a plurality of spaced supports, a main track supported thereby, a siding spaced, vertically `from the .main track, and a switch pivotally mounted on one of the supports at each end of the siding, .and adapted to engage the main track, one of said switches being normally open and the other closed.

8. In elevated railways, a lurality of spaced supports, a main trac a siding spaced vertically from the main track and a switch pivotally mounted on one of the supports at each'end of the siding and each having its free vend bifurcated for the reception of the main track.

9. In elevated railways, a plurality of spaced supports, a main track, disks secured to the supports, a siding disposed above the main track and consisting of a cable having its opposite ends fastened to said disks, and

switches pivotally mounted on the disks and adapted to engage the main track, one of said switches being normally open and the other closed.

10. In elevated railways, a plurality of spaced supports, a main track, disks secured to the supports, a siding disposed above the main track and consisting of a cable having its opposite ends fastened to said disks, switches pivotally mounted on the disks and having their free ends bifurcated to accommodate themain track, a lug extending laterally from one switch, a spring secured to the flug and the adjacent support respectively, for normally supporting said switch in open position, the opposite switch being movable to closed position by gravity.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

BARNETT W. HARRIS.

Witnesses:

CARRIE JAMES, IRMA LINN. 

